The Lasting Threat
by creativeisolation
Summary: About four years ago, the kids attempted to Scratch their session of Sburb. Now, things have changed and it seems they didn't go according to plan: Jack is still out to kill them, but they'll have help from an unexpected ally... Possible DaveOC


**Hey all! So, although this is far from the first time I've written a story, it is the first time I've written a Homestuck fic. I will admit that this chapter did not quite turn out how I'd planned, so let me know what you think. I can promise that later, things will get better.**

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><p>1. Everyone: Return to Semi-Normalcy<p>

People always say that each time you grow a year older or celebrate a birthday, you're supposed to feel more like an adult, more world-ready and responsible or whatever. Well, John Egbert had recently celebrated his seventeenth birthday and he in no way felt anymore ready to tackle the world that lurked outside and threatened to absorb him into its depths once he graduated high school. The raven-haired boy hadn't changed much since he was younger, still possessing the same passion for really terrible movies, mild interest in video games and love of all things paranormal. The only things he'd really dropped were his pathetic attempts at computer programming and the rather silly pursuit of magic.

He was lazing about his room, having already finished his homework and chores, leading him to the inevitable boredom that accompanies being unsure of what to do with oneself. He sat down at the new computer he'd received for his birthday and opened Pesterchum. Seeing she was online, John decided he'd talk to Rose.

- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] at 16:39 -

EB: hey rose whats up?

TT: Hello John. Not much really. Yourself?

EB: eh about the same. anymore weird dreams lately?

TT: No, it seems the dreams have seen fit to finally leave me alone. For now at least.

EB: well thats good!

TT: Indeed. So, why did you see fit to contact me now?

EB: not sure, actually. just felt like saying hi i guess.

TT: Well, hello then. I hate to greet and run but I'm afraid I need to take care of some things. Perhaps we will pick up this conversation later?

EB: sure thing! talk to you later, rose!

- tentacleTherapist [TT] ceased pestering ectoBiologist [EB] -

Rose sighed. Today was an unusual day, in which she had received an exceptional amount of sleep and felt oddly cheerful (well, as cheerful as she ever got, which is not a whole lot). At the same time, she was unable to shake the feeling that something interesting was going to happen. Since such feelings of hers had a tendency to come true in strange ways, she had learned to trust them.

After her conversation with John, she leaned back in her chair thoughtfully. While what she'd told him about having things to do was not a complete lie, it was a bit untrue. By "things to do," she meant contact Jade, the only one of their friends who might possibly believe her about the whole exciting happenings to come business.

- tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG] at 16:45 -

TT: Hello, Jade. Are you there?

GG: yup! :) what's up rose?

TT: I felt that you might be the only one of our friends who may believe what I wish to share with you. Are my guesses correct?

GG: you know you can tell me anything rose! :)

TT: Thank you. What I wished to tell you is that the dreams have gone, but in their place is the inescapable feeling that something important is happening soon.

GG: oh my! O: how soon do you think?

TT: Today, actually.

GG: wow! have you told the others?

TT: No, not yet. I think that the boys would be most likely to laugh it off. I wanted to confide in you and see what you thought before venturing forth with that unpredictable course of action.

GG: haha i see. well, i think that you should trust the feeling. actually, ive been kind of feeling it too. if i had to decide anything, itd be that we all need to agree to meet up again! and soon too! that way, we can all be together for this!

AK: Sorry to interrupt your chatter, but there is something of vital importance that I need to discuss with you two.

GG: ? who the heck are you?

TT: Yes, I was quite wondering about the same thing.

AK: That's not important now. Besides, I think we'll all meet soon enough. What I need to tell you is that Jade is right! You all must gather together. It is vital to ensure you all survive long enough for us to meet.

TT: And you expect me to fully and completely trust you on this? I feel that the mere fact you are insisting we do so is the entire reason which we shouldn't.

GG: rose i understand why youre hesitant, but i think this gathering thing is really important!

TT: Perhaps so, but how would we even accomplish that when we all live so widespread from each other?

AK: That's part of where I come in!

There was a weird moment of darkness then redness then whiteness before Rose, after blinking profusely, discovered she was in John's room. She was also now in the company of Jade and Dave as well. John was pressed against the wall, breathing rapidly, eyes widened like some kind of trapped animal, and he was staring at his friends as if they had all mutated together.

"Ack! You guys? How'd you get here?" He asked, relaxing somewhat.

"I'm not quite sure, actually..." Rose answered. Jade's expression took on a worried note.

"Um, how _did_ we get here?" She asked.

"... the fuck is going on?" Was all Dave had to say on the matter.

John looked frantically for some sign of what might possibly be going "the fuck on" and was unsuccessful. Thus far, it seemed that it was simply some act of random-ass magic and no one could have possibly-

"OH GOG WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?"

At Jade's cry, the other three turned to John's window to discover that a strange creature had apparently materialized in John's backyard. It was a winged, dog-like creature with a sword sticking out of its chest. The four teens could not have been more confused if they tried.

While John and Jade freaked and Rose attempted calm them by conjuring a logical explanation for the ongoing shenanigans, Dave took the opportunity to notice that the stabbed dog-bird thing was now flying and it seemed to be headed towards them. He voiced this fact in a cool, uncaring manner and after a slight pause everyone began freaking out even more. Even Rose was now in a state of extreme distress.

Suddenly, a strange girl appeared on a branch of the tree in John's yard with what appeared to be a large, vaguely pen-shaped laser cannon resting on her shoulder. From this odd weapon she fired a bright green blast at the odd creature before he could come crashing through John's window. The thing turned around, snarling, and began advancing toward her instead.

Rose was suddenly struck by an odd sense of deja vu, feeling as if both this creature and the girl apparently attempting to save the lives of herself and her friends were people (or things, whatever) she had once had the pleasure and displeasure, respectively, of having encountered. But she couldn't quite recall where...

Then, one of her weird dreams she had not that long ago came to her.

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><p>As the Green Sun drew swiftly closer, the threat of Jack Noir seemed to grow in weight all the more upon everyone. Even Karkat was silent for a while, taking in the fact that there was most likely nothing they could do to stop him. Sure, Rose and Dave were now god tiers and that was all good and fancy and what-motherfucking-ever but if even Vriska could have been killed as a god tier, then these stupid nooksucking humans stood absolutely no chance.<p>

"Um, guys? Y0u m1ght w4nt t0 l00k 0v3r th3r3..." Terezi said nervously, pointing to a swiftly growing spot on the horizon.

"It's Jack Noir, Isn't It?" Kanaya's precise voice was laden with the feeling of inevitable defeat.

"OH GOD. OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD!" Karkat wailed.

"That really isn't helping you dumpass." Dave snapped.

Karkat glared at the blonde boy before sucking in his breath and going back to being silent. Still the blackness that was Jack grew closer and the strength of the group's despair intensified.

It wasn't long before the spot was fully-formed as Jack and he was hovering over them. Dave and Rose took up defensive positions in front of their new friends and everyone drew their weapons with a feeling of finality.

Meanwhile, in the lab below, another troll girl that had been forgotten until now, slept restlessly, her dreams invaded with images of her friends in great danger. As she fidgeted, a boy with a clown-like appearance approached the makeshift bed in which she rested. His eyes were shadowed and a grim expression adorned his made-up face, still stained with his own brilliantly purple blood. He came around the side of the bed and looked down at her with a blank expression.

"SORRY ABOUT THIS KARKEFERI. BUT YOU SAID IT HAD TO BE DONE." He said flatly.

With that, he raised the bowling pin in his hand and smashed it down onto her chest, effectively caving in her entire ribcage. Her eyes stretched wide open and she opened her mouth in a soundless gasp. As he left, light filled the room. Moments later, Karkeferi rose from the bed, staring at her hands and grinning.

"At long last, th3 tim3 has com3." She whispered.

Back on the roof (or wherever), everyone had quickly grown battle-weary and weak. Jack bore menacingly down on the Knight and Seer as they bravely tried to continue fighting. But they were quickly seeing that it was no use, that they were doomed to fail...

FLASH-BANG! A jet of green light hit Jack square in the chest and he stumbled backward. Snarling, he whipped his wolfish head around in search of the one who had fired the shot. Suddenly, a kick snapped his head forward with the sickening sound of fracturing bone. He whirled and the two humans watched in awe as Karkeferi flitted around him, shooting him with what appeared to be a sonic cannon that vaguely resembled a pen perched on her shoulder, and getting in cheap shots when she could.

Eventually, she had him cornered on the edge of the battlefield.

"On3 last chanc3, Jack. G3t th3 h3ll out, or I fry you to a burnt crisp." Karkeferi told him venomously.

Jack opted for silence and raised his sword once more, swinging it down on her in what must surely be the death blow for Karkeferi. But she caught the sword with one hand before it sliced her in half and, using his own force against him, shoved him off the side and into oblivion. She turned back to the group to find them all staring at her with dumbfounded amazement.

"H-HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?" Karkat managed. She blinked at him.

"What? Lik3 that was r3ally so hard!" She said simply.

"I will admit I am confused as well." Rose said. The troll girl laughed.

"W3ll, I would lov3 to 3xplain, d3ar Ros3, but I b3li3v3 you and I both know that now that you all ar3 saf3 for now, I hav3 to l3av3." She responded.

She turned away and suddenly, a portal appeared in the sky. No one, to this day, was quite sure where it came from, only that as she flew through, Rose saw her slowly change from troll to human...

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><p>"Karkeferi!" Rose cried. Dave turned to her in surprise (but of course he was too cool to actually look surprised).<p>

"Who?"

"That girl fighting Jack outside! We know her. Her name is Karkeferi." She told him.

"Uh, that sure doesn't look like Karkeferi. And who the hell is Jack?"

"I'm certain it's her..." Rose whispered.

The girl has now backed the creature (Jack?) into a sort of corner (meaning she had the upperhand) and she pointed the cannon-thing at his head.

"Leave now, and you just may live. Or, I can once again threaten to blow you to bits." She growled. The creature only hesitated a moment before flying off to who knows where.

The girl turned around and climbed back up the tree, her pen-cannon thing disappearing somehow. She motioned for someone to open the window and since John and Jade were still flipping the fuck out, Rose dashed forward and did so instead. The girl leapt through the air and youth rolled into the room, effectively crashing into and tangling herself up with Dave. Grinning sheepishly, she disentangled herself from him and brushed dust off her interesting clothes.

"Karkeferi!" Rose exclaimed happily.

"Um, no?" The girl responded. Rose stared at her in confusion. "My name is Darla here. Darla Cordis."

"Oh, I see." Rose answered. The others finally turned their attention to the two girls as well.

"Are you the only one that remembers me?" Darla asked, sounding slightly hopeful that this may not be the case.

"It would seem so. I'm sorry." Rose turned solemn at this. Darla seemed to deflate and smiled sadly.

"Oh, it's fine, it just makes it that much harder to explain things." She said, scrunching her face up with annoyance and sticking out her tongue.

"Uh, Rose? Do you know this girl?" John asked.

"In a sense, yes." His friend answered. "I've met her previous incarnation."

"Well..." Darla said, looking thoughtfully at the ceiling, finger tapping her chin. "I guess you could call it that, yeah."

"Oh okay. Well, thank you for saving us..." He looked to Darla, still unsure who she was.

"Darla. Darla Cordis." She provided, offering him a sunny smile.

"Okay, well thanks, Darla!" She giggled.

"Not a problem!"

"So what exactly are you doing here, Miss Darla?" Jade asked.

"I would've thought it was obvious." The girl said, sounding surprised.

"Apparently only to you." Dave snapped.

"Well, I'm here because even though the game is over, Jack is still trying to kill you!"

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><p><strong>There you go! I hope you enjoyed this! Reviews are always appreciated. :)<strong>


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